Help buy Roger a little more time with his family

$75,703 of $70,000 goal

Given by 334 generous donors in around 3 months

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We thought it was over, but it's only just begun.

Geraldine, Canterbury

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In September 2021, Roger developed a tumour on his back. After many Ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, biopsies and blood tests, it was determined to be a very rare and aggressive Merkel Cell Carcinoma. In the ensuing wait, the tumour grew so quickly that the plastic surgeon deemed it too huge to operate on. Urgent radiation was the only option.

December saw Roger drive from our home to Christchurch, totalling up to 5800 km for daily radiation treatments. After overcoming severe and incredibly painful radiation burns over the holiday period, and as the tumour had completely shrunk, we thought we had beaten this horrendous and invasive cancer. We even dared to relax a little.

Mid-February Roger started to suffer from excruciating pain in his back where the tumour used to be and lost feeling in his lower left arm, and power to his hand. After a trip to the doctor, a CT scan that had been scheduled for March 18th was brought forward urgently to February 24th. From there, things started to unravel again as multiple inoperable tumours were discovered in Roger's abdomen.

The prognosis is not good. Roger has been given 3-4 months to live, without treatment. It appears that the only treatment that will possibly have an effect on this cancer is Immunotherapy. Unlike its brother Melanoma, Merkel Cell Carcinomas are not Government-funded for some reason. This means we have to find $85-100,000 to fund this treatment to buy Roger possibly a year to 18 months to spend with his family.

Vanessa Harper's involvement (page creator)

Roger Harper is my husband of almost 17 years (next month!) and best friend. We have three boys together – Jack (16), Munro (14) and Kinnear (10).

Use of funds

Pembrolizumab – the Immunotherapy drug, and its administration, CT scans, travel, accommodation and helping us to live day to day as Roger (our bread-winner) will not be working.

We have great news! 3 March 2024

Roger has finished with Immunotherapy and has been declared CANCER FREE! He posted these words and images on Facebook in December. For those of you not on Facebook, here is his update.

"The CT scan images on the left were scanned in Dec 23. The images on the right are from the day before Apr 22. You'll see from the images on the right my abdomen was CRAMMED with tumours (shown as grey lumps) – it was this day that the oncologist gave me a month or so to live and said it was not prudent to have another infusion (had only had one at this stage). I insisted on a second infusion and the atmosphere got quite tense in his office but he gave in after I would not take no for an answer with an absolute and unwavering firmness. What did we have to lose apart from the 17k cost (which you generous people enabled)?

It is with a profound sense of relief and thankfulness that I post this. To confront your own imminent death is a bone chilling shock that assaults every sense to the core and that I wish no other person would have to experience.

Please accept my heartfelt and deepest gratitude and gratefulness to all those who donated to my givealittle page. Quite simply, you have saved my life. Tears well up just thinking about what you have done for me.

I feel this gratitude every day and will never forget your selfless act of giving. Enjoy wherever and whatever you are doing and take a little time to stop and think how each waking moment is precious. Life can change in a minute."

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